Horn clippers



March 14, 1967 E. c. STEINER 3,308,534

HORN CLIPPERS Filed March 15, 1965 //v vsme 52mm 6 575mm 4 TTORNKY United States Patent 3,308,534 HORN CLIPPERS Ezekiel C. Steiner, 1438 E. Slauson Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90011 Filed Mar. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 439,706 6 Claims. (Cl. 30-228) This invention relates to a deahoruing tool for cutting the horns and also the hooks of animals during butchering for the market.

An object of the present invention is to provide clippers for the purpose indicated and for analogous purposes that, while shearing, so enclose the item being cut as to force the same into efiicient cutting engagement with the clipper members.

Another object of the invention is to provide clippers of the character indicated in which the operating power for the clippers is applied to one clipper member, the same being pivotally connected to the other clipper member which is carried on a fixed fulcrum, the two clipper members, under cutting power applied to the first member, folding over each other in a movement that forces the cutitng edges of said members not only toward each other but also in an upward direction with relation to an imaginary line extending between said fulcrum and the point of application of power on the first-mentioned clipper member.

A further object of the invetion is to provide clippers, as above characterized, in which the pivot connecting the two clipper members, during application of power, moves from a point more nearly adjacent to the imaginary line referred to in the previous object, to a more remote point, thereby reducing the included angle at said pivot as the clipper members fold on each other, and increasing the cutting power of the members. I

The :above and other objects and advantages of the invention are realized in a construction that is mounted on the operative end of a tool that has a power-applying unit that fixedly carries a pair of flat, parallel guards that are spaced from each other, a clipper member in the space between the guards and mounted on a fulcrum at the outer end of said guards, a second clipper member connected by a pivot to the first member and also disposed in the space between the guards, the two clipper members having concave cutting edges that are in opposition to each other, partly overlap where said edges are nearest the mentioned pivot, and are spaced apart at their opposite ends to receive articles to be cut by said members, and means connected to the second clipper member to move the same under power in a direction toward the fulcrum of the first clipper member, thereby folding said members on each other and causing the cutting members to move together in a shearing operation that is in a direction toward an imaginary line extending between said fulcrum and the point on the second member to which the power is applied.

The invention is more fully described in the following specification which is intended as exemplary of the combinations and arrangements of parts above referred to. The invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which similar parts are designated by similar numerals. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the operative end of a horn clipper or similar tool, showing the present invention, the tool being shown open.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the horn clipper as closed after a de-horning or similar shearing operation.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the de-horner, as in FIG. 1.

The dehorner that is illustrated comprises, generally, a

3,308,534 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 power unit 5, a guard 6 extending forwardly and affixed to the unit 5, a first clipper member 7 mounted on a fulcrum 8 to move in an oscillatory path with said guard, and a second clipper member 9 connected by a pivot 10 to the first clipper member and in operative engagement with the power unit 5 to cause folding of the members 7 and 9 on pivot 10, one on the other, during projecting movement of the output member 11 of the unit 5 and extension of said members 7 and 9 on pivot 10 to separate the respective cutting edges 12 and 13 so an item to be cut may assume a position between said edges when the tool is applied.

In this case, the power unit 5 is shown as a cylinder 15 that has opposite pressure air inlets 16 and 17 that, in any usual manner, receives compressed air from a source thereof, under control of a two-way valve. This portion of the tool forms no part of the present invention and is omitted, therefore. Any fluid, such as air, gas, or liquid, may, without invention, be directed alternately to inlets 16 and 17 to act on the opposite faces of a piston 18 in the cylinder 15 and to project and retract the output member 11 which is here shown as a stem on the piston 18. In this disclosure, the stem 11 is shown as having a pivotal connection 19 with the clipper member 9, although pinand-slot or other sliding connections may be used, if desired.

The guard 6 is shown as two similar and parallel fixed plate extensions 20 of the cylinder head 2-1 through which the stem 11 extends. Said extensions 20 may be suitably formed to house the non-cutting portions of the members 7 and 9 between them, the cutting portions of said members extending from the space 20!: between the guard extensions beyond the edges 22 thereof.

The clipper member 7 is in the form of a lever that, on

one side of the fulcrum 8, has an operating arm at the end of which the pivot 10 is located, and a cutting arm 24 on the other side of said fulcrum, which has the cutting edge 12. As seen in FIG. 3, said clipper member 7 occupies one side of the space between the guard extensions 20 against one of said extensions. A flanged bushing 25 on the fulcrum 8 retains the member 7 in said position. i The clipper member 9 also is in the tom of a lever which has an operating arm 26 on one side of the pivot 19 and a cutting arm 27 on the other side of the pivot and which has the cutting edge 13. Said member 9 occupies the opposite side of the space between the guard extensions 20..

It will be clear that this side-by-side arrangement of the arms 24 and 27 provides a shearing relationship between the edges 12 and 13.

The two edges are shown as similar but opposite and, when the members are spread apart, as in FIG. 1, the same form a concavity 28 that has an inner more sharply rounded end 29, and oppositely curved and flatter concave sides 38 that are partly constricted by the points 31 at the ends of the arms 24- and 27.

The circle 32 in FIG. l represents a stylized member to be cut by the edges 12 and 13. Regardless of its true cross-sectional form, said member 32 preferably enters the concavity 28 between said points 11 by applying the tool laterally to said menrber in any directionup, down or sideways. As can be seen in FIG. 1, when the members 7 and 8 are spread, there is a triangular arrangement of the points 8, 10 and 11 in which the imaginary line forms a leg between the points 8 and 11 and is longer than the respective legs 8, 10 and 10, 11. This scalene arrangement of said points 8, 10 and 11 brings the point 10 to its nearest approach to the leg 8, 11.

When the stem 11 is projected in a cutting operation, the leg 8, 11 shortens, causing the point ltl to move farther away from the foreshorteuing leg 8, 11. This folding novement of the clipper members 7 and 9 causes the ;hearing edges 12 and 13 to move toward each other, ts well as moving toward the leg 8, 11 of the triangle B, and 11. It will be clear that as the sides 30* of the :oncavity 28 close on each other, the points 31 move :lose-r together and, after closing the concavity 28, assume an overlapped position, as in FIG. 2, where the edges 12 and 13 complete the cut through the item 32.

This movement of the edges 12 and 13 toward each other is in a direction toward said triangle leg 8, 11. Thus, the points 31, also, move in this direction, causing the cutting operation to to be one that forces the item 32 against the guard edges 22. As a consequence, said item is gathered into the concavely curved clippers, rather than being forced away as is the case with conventional clippers, especially those with straight or but slightly curved cutting edges. It will be seen that space 20a between the guard extensions is widened at 20b to accommodate the stem 11.

It will be understood that the foregoing should be considered exemplary of my invention, and that I desire to reserve such variations and modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A horn clipper comprising:

(a) a fixed guard provided with two parallel plate portions spaced from each other,

('b) a first clipper member mounted on a fulcrum on said guard and disposed in said space against one plate portion,

(0) a second clipper member pivotal-1y connected to the first member and in said space between the first member and the opposite plate part,

(d) said members being provided with opposed concave cutting edges that define a concavity between them for a born to be cut when said members are in extended relation on the pivotal connection, and

(e) means to apply force to the second clipper member in a direction to fold the extended members one over the other to a position in which the opposed concave cutting edges are overlapped and the concavity substantially closed.

2. A horn clipper according to claim 1 in which the force-applying means includes:

(a) an air cylinder receptive of compressed air on opposite ends thereof, and

(b) a piston having a stem operative by compressed air in said cylinder to apply the mentioned force to the second clipper member. 1

3. A horn clipper according to claim 2 in which the guard plates are fixed extensions of the air cylinder.

4. A horn clipper according to claim 2 in which the pivotally connected portions of the clip-per members reside in the space between the guard plates with the portions having the cutting edges extending from said space.

5. A horn clipper according to claim 4 in which the clipper members, when moved to folded position move the cutting edges inwardly toward each other as Well as toward and partly past an imaginary line extending between the mentioned fulcrum of the first clipper member and the point of application of force on the second clipper memher.

6. A horn clipper comprising:

(a) a first clipper member mounted on a'fixed fulcrum,

(b) a second clipper member pivotally connected to the first member,

(c) said members being provided with opposed concave cutting edges that define a concavity between them for a horn to be cut when said members are in extended relation on the pivotal connection, and

(d) means to apply force to the second clipper member in a direction to fold the extended members one over the other to a position in which the opposed concave cutting edges are overlapped and the concavity substantially closed,

(e) the pivotal connection between the clipper members being ofiset with respect to an imaginary line extending between said fulcrum of the first clipper member and the point at which the force is applied to the second clipper member, the olfset being to the side of said line that is opposite to the cutting edges of the clipper members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1950 Potstada 30228 1/1959 Townsheud 30-254 OTHER REFERENCES Electrical World, p. Mar. 9, 1964. 

1. A HORN CLIPPER COMPRISING: (A) A FIXED GUARD PROVIDED WITH TWO PARALLEL PLATE PORTIONS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, (B) A FIRST CLIPPER MEMBER MOUNTED ON A FULCRUM ON SAID GUARD AND DISPOSED IN SAID SPACE AGAINST ONE PLATE PORTION, (C) A SECOND CLIPPER MEMBER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE FIRST MEMBER AND IN SAID SPACE BETWEEN THE FIRST MEMBER AND THE OPPOSITE PLATE PART, (D) SAID MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED WITH OPPOSED CONCAVE CUTTING EDGES THAT DEFINE A CONCAVITY BETWEEN THEM FOR A HORN TO BE CUT WHEN SAID MEMBERS ARE IN EXTENDED RELATION ON THE PIVOTAL CONNECTION, AND (E) MEANS TO APPLY FORCE TO THE SECOND CLIPPER MEMBER IN A DIRECTION TO FOLD THE EXTENDED MEMBERS ONE OVER THE OTHER TO A POSITION IN WHICH THE OPPOSED CONCAVE CUTTING EDGES ARE OVERLAPPED AND THE CONCAVITY SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED. 